"A simple blood test in 2002 would change my life forever and connect me with a family 4,489 miles away. When I received the call from Heart of America’s National Marrow Donor Program telling me that I was a potential blood stem cell donor, eight years had passed since I joined the registry. I had no idea what acute myelogenous leukemia was, and I certainly couldn’t anticipate what would be required of me as a blood stem cell donor. But I was ready to make that journey. With my husband by my side, I said yes and discovered a new world filled with scientific wonder, incredible compassion and love. I have traveled to Germany twice since the transplant, first in 2012 to meet Steffi Wolff and her beautiful family, and again in 2017 to witness her marriage to Alex Dölz."

Transplanting hope is about taking those rare chances that life throws your way. It’s about going beyond your comfort level and trusting strangers along the way. But mostly, it’s about connecting with people, sharing lives and experiencing life’s blessings along the way.